If you’ve ever wanted to inspire or be inspired, momondays is the place for you.
In short, momondays is real people, with real stories, generating real inspiration. Michel Neray founded momondays in February 2012. He was teaching public speaking and wanted to give his students a platform from which to practice their skills.
Word soon spread across the country of what was going on and interest grew. Momondays is now in 10 cities across the country and made its debut in Ottawa in September 2013.
Momondays is being relaunched in Ottawa with a new host, Linda Babulic. It will take place the second Monday of every month at Heart & Crown in the Byward Market.
So what exactly is momondays? “It’s professional development packaged as professional entertainment. We want to provide the audience with a good show,” explains Babulic.
A typical night at momondays includes five to six speakers who speak for 10 minutes each. By organizing each event in such a way, the audience receives “a great deal of variety in their evening instead of just watching one performer,” says Babulic.
When on the momondays stage, Babulic herself speaks on “what impact we can have on the people around us. Whether we realize it or not we all have impact.” She has also shared her personal story and admits it is not easy to do.
“But at the same time, the audience is so warm, so engaging, so welcoming. No body’s rattling cups, no body’s checking their email. Everybody’s got their eyes on you and they’re intently listening which is really nice to have such an appreciative audience.”
Babulic is looking for speakers to come out, whether you’ve never set foot on a stage before or the stage is your second home. The intent of momondays is to meet and get to know other people. “Everybody at momondays is super friendly, it’s part of the culture,” Babulic encourages.
“If you think about your life, realize you’ve come to a fork in the road and you’ve made a choice of which way you’re going to go, what did that decision do to your life? What impact did it have on your life? That’s the story I want to hear,” explains Babulic.
The application process to be a mospeaker can be found online.
Momondays had humble beginnings with only 15 people in the audience, but has grown to be a nationwide initiative. If you’re looking for a little more inspiration in your life, consider attending the next momonday event in Ottawa on November 10. Tickets are $10 in advance or $20 at the door.